Font Awesome

What is Font Awesome?

Font Awesome is the official WordPress plugin for adding Font Awesome icons to your site. Developed by the Font Awesome team, it has been available for 14 years. The plugin currently has over 400,000 active installs. It holds a 3.6 out of 5 star rating from 61 total ratings. This rating reflects a split user base: 59% of reviews are 9% are one-star. The plugin lets you use both Free and Pro icons, including custom icons from a Pro Kit. It also supports the latest Duotone styles and offers compatibility with Version 4 syntax.

The plugin is designed to solve a common WordPress problem. Many themes and plugins load different icon versions, causing display conflicts. Font Awesome detects these conflicts and helps resolve them. This feature alone makes it a practical tool for sites with complex plugin stacks. The current version is 5.1.5, last updated on May 5, 2026. It requires WordPress 5.8 or higher and PHP 7.4 or higher. It has been tested up to WordPress 6.9.4.

Key Features of Font Awesome

• Icon Block and Inline Support – Add icons as standalone blocks or inline within text using the block editor’s format toolbar.
• Icon Chooser Search – Search icons by name, category, or keyword directly inside the WordPress editor.
• Pro Kit Integration – Connect a Font Awesome Pro Kit to access Duotone styles, custom icons, and the latest releases.
• Version 4 Compatibility Mode – Automatically convert old Version 4 icon syntax to work with the current plugin setup.
• Conflict Detection and Resolution – Identify and fix issues when multiple icon versions load from different themes or plugins.
• CDN or Kit Delivery – Choose between the Font Awesome CDN (Version 5 only) or a Kit for more flexibility.
• Shortcode and HTML Syntax – Insert icons using shortcodes like [icon name="stroopwafel"] or standard HTML tags in the classic editor.
• Custom Icon Support – Upload and use your own custom icons if you have a Pro Kit configured.

Who Should Use Font Awesome?

This plugin suits users who need reliable icon integration. It works well for beginners using the block editor, as the Icon Chooser requires no coding. It also serves developers who prefer shortcodes or raw HTML in classic editors. Site owners running complex themes or multiple plugins will benefit most from the conflict detection tools. The 400K+ install base shows broad appeal across skill levels. However, the 26% one-star rating suggests some users encounter setup friction or performance issues.

Ideal use cases include business sites needing professional icons, portfolio pages, or ecommerce stores using icons for product features. Users who rely on Pro icons from a Kit will find the direct integration valuable. The plugin is less suited for those who only need a few icons and want a lighter solution. The 61 total ratings indicate a relatively small feedback pool for such a large install base. This may reflect that many users set it up and never review it.

Installation & Setup

Installation is straightforward. You can search for the plugin by author "fontawesome" in the WordPress admin and click "Install" then "Activate." Alternatively, you can upload a zip archive. The setup is beginner-friendly, though connecting a Pro Kit requires creating an account on FontAwesome.com and entering an API token. The plugin’s settings page guides you through this process.

Support & Community

Support data shows a troubling trend. In the last two months, the plugin had 2 open support threads. Zero of those threads were resolved, resulting in a 0% resolution rate. This is a significant red flag for users who may need help. The rating breakdown reinforces this concern. While 59% of reviewers gave 9% gave one star. This polarization suggests that the plugin works well for many but fails critically for others. The lack of resolved support threads means unresolved issues may persist. Users should test the plugin thoroughly on a staging site before deploying it on a live production environment.